Oregon is a vast western state.
And the leftist population centered around Oregon’s biggest city, Portland, have crossed major lines with some state residents.
Now Oregon’s former House Speaker is pushing one radical scheme that could change everything in American politics.
Conservatives in one western state are desperate to leave their blue state.
But they want to take their land with them.
Now, Oregon’s former house speaker is pushing one radical scheme that would change everything in American politics.
Oregon is a vast western state controlled by a huge leftist population centered around its biggest city.
Now as out of control policies drive an even greater wedge between urban and rural Oregonians, a major movement is gaining even more momentum.
The Greater Idaho Movement is a grassroots effort to get 63% of Oregon’s landmass along with 9% of the state’s population to secede from the Beaver State and join bordering Idaho.
The plan has been around for a couple of years but seems to be gaining traction as leaders from both states have started expressing interest in the process.
Former Oregon House Speaker wants to divorce parts of the state
Recently, former Oregon House Speaker Mark Simmons had an op-ed published in Idaho’s biggest newspaper pushing for the move.
“Idaho would have the satisfaction of freeing rural, conservative communities from progressive blue-state law,” Simmons wrote. “We are dismayed by the manner in which Oregon government has marginalized our values and villainized our resource-based livelihoods. This is why our counties voted 75% Republican last year (Idaho voted 67% Republican).”
He pointed out that the move would help Idaho push back the drug trade that is currently operating directly over the current border between the two states.
With legal recreational marijuana sold in Ontario, OR—less than an hour drive from Idaho’s biggest cities—Idaho State Police are constantly trying to stop the flow of drugs into the Potato State.
“These counties would help maintain rural values in the Idaho Legislature, values of faith, family, and self-reliance,” Simmons argued. “All of eastern Oregon voted against marijuana legalization and the decriminalization of hard drugs.”
Earlier this month Idaho’s House of Representatives passed a resolution calling for formal talks with Oregon’s legislature to discuss moving the boundary line between the two states.
While a dream come true for Oregon conservatives, it’s still a long shot.
Not only are Oregon Democrats unlikely to let go of a vast amount of resource rich land, Idaho would also inherit some major problems along with hundreds of rural communities.
Thanks to lax drug enforcement laws, numerous international cartels have moved into Oregon in recent years even going as far as stealing huge amounts of irrigation water to illegally grow marijuana that is then funneled into the black market across throughout parts of the US where marijuana is still illegal.
But the Greater Idaho Movement’s leaders remain optimistic.
“When you have a new idea, there’s always a lot of people that roll their eyes. They think it’s silly, they dismiss it,” spokesman Matt McCaw told NBC affiliate KGW. “When we started this two years ago, I would get that a lot. Like, ‘This will never happen, why are you wasting your time?'”
But for now, the dream is still alive in rural Oregon.
If they succeed with this long shot effort, it’s sure to change American politics forever as other disenfranchised conservatives—including those in northern California – work to follow suit.
Stay tuned to Blue State Blues for any updates to this ongoing story.
